From jimbecket at sbcglobal.net Sat Jul 28 07:08:57 2007 From: jimbecket at sbcglobal.net (Jim Becket) Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2007 07:08:57 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [OldNorth] [Davishistory&historicpreservation] [Fwd: Hunt-Boyer Mansion-TankHouse DE. In-Reply-To: <001801c7d0d9$4d94da70$6d01a8c0@DOUG> Message-ID: <905394.58781.qm@web81615.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Excellent comments, Michael. Your experience with restoration is an invaluable contribution to this discussion. I think we need to continue to publically hammer on the positives of this area (which we might start refering to as "Heritage Park?") to the community - and our willingness to participate in its restoration, both physically and monitarily. And for Sue, I really appreciate your concern and actions relative to small, independent businesses. There is too much benefit to too few (with most of the fiscal benefit going to an architect and a builder) for me to think that this is the time and place to switch to an anti-preservation stance. Jim Michael Harrington wrote: I think it is a shame to destroy our little orange grove, and move the Tank House. That space would be nice for a small cafe. The building can be fixed up, where it is. The city has neglected it for years ... the "demolition by neglect" defense. I am absolutely certain it can be fixed, and made serviceable, for a fraction of the cost of the wildly crazy reports I have seen. I have personally overhauled and saved six significant buildings in the downtown since 1998. The only issue: do the City political and professional leaders want to save the Tank House and orange grove? It can be done, and should be done. Any other analysis is for personal or merly political reasons. The technical analysis will back my statements up all day long. Best Mike Harrington ----- Original Message ----- From: Sue Greenwald To: Ericbworkn at aol.com ; khiatt at cityofdavis.org ; valerie at vanngroup.com ; davishistorymembers at velocipede.dcn.davis.ca.us ; oldnorth at crank.dcn.davis.ca.us Cc: mac-King at comcast.net ; scarlet at cal.net Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 10:26 PM Subject: Re: [Davishistory&historicpreservation] [Fwd: Hunt-Boyer Mansion-TankHouse DE. Hi Eric, Thanks for writing us. First, I want to clarify one important point. The applicant for this proposal is not a developer. Far from it. He is the owner of the student-oriented, independent, non-chain coffee house called Mishka's cafe. He also operates the Varsity Theater and the little ice-cream concession. Sinisa currently rents space for Mishka's, and he is one of our remaining independent businessmen whose business is being jeopardized by the redevelopment and escalating rents downtown. Independent film theaters are not easily to keep alive. I think that having Sinisa vested in that block would help assure the survival the theater, as well as the survival of Mishka's coffee shop. I have long had a vision of more active use and vitality for 2nd street between the Varsity and E Street. I respect the fact that you don't agree with it, but I have talked with an enormous number of citizens, and I do think that most find it a good idea. I would like to see a small, independently owned and operated restaurant at the Hunt Boyer, with people sitting under the tree in the yard, and a pretty, glassed-in two story coffee shop, with a fairly deep setback from E Street, at the pump house site. I would like to see the pump house situated on the other side of the Hunt-Boyer. When the parking structure is completed, I would like to take out a few of the parallel parking places on E Street, and see a brick patio extended into E street from the front of the Varsity to the Hunt-Boyer. I think such a patio could add some weight and importance to the Varsity and Hunt-Boyer. I believe that the coffee shop, being set back and smaller, would fit in quite well. I don't know if all or part of this concept will ever come to pass, but it has been a goal of mine. As you know, I usually err on the side of historic preservation, but in this case I think that the added vitality is worth the price of moving the pump house. I am more concerned with the proposed zoning change which would allow buildings such as Chuck Roe's latest proposal (see The Suites Mixed Use Building under current issues on the city web page for plans and rendering) as a permitted use in a large part of downtown (currently, anything over two stories at least requires a CUP). This project is four very tall stories straight up, and has virtually no setback from the lot line. It seems to me that we are ignoring the fact that we are losing the entire look, feel and rhythm of our historic downtown and adjacent neighborhoods. The B Street rezone and the current proposed downtown rezone are of real concern to me. I don't mind a few taller buildings, but it is beginning the look as if the entire downtown will loose its college-town look character. Check out the pictures of the proposed Roe Building, and the proposed zoning change that would allow this as a permitted use. Compared with the other proposed projects, the pump house proposal is only two stories high, and is set back considerably. Right now, my biggest concern about the downtown is that our independent merchants are being pushed out by rising rents and redevelopment, and that chains and personal services taking over. I have been trying to help a number of our independent merchant and restaurant owners find new places to rent or purchase downtown. In the last few months, I have heard of three independent merchants who have been or are being pushed out by their landlords. They have each been in business serving the Davis community for about 20 years. Again, Thanks for writing. Sue At 05:26 PM 7/27/2007 -0400, Ericbworkn at aol.com wrote: I agree with Sue Greenwald's intent to save the Tank House, but I disagree with her arguments for allowing the open/green space to be forever lost. This will have a definite impact upon one of the few remaining historically significant structures of Davis. And for this to be done by the City of Davis (let alone by the usual speculating developer) is appalling! While the orange trees and Tank House are not now necessarily visually appealing (thanks to neglect by the City), they could be renovated and preserved as a small, cool, and refreshing park for the public to enjoy. Building a 2 or 3 story retail store on the space with only 7 feet separation from the Hunt Boyer is not a long term solution to keeping the downtown core healthy and vibrant. What happens to our unique and attractive downtown when we build everything 2-5 stories high from lot line to lot line? We will look like Walnut Creek, with their canyons of concrete and asphalt. The rents that will be charged by the new landlord are not going to be below market rates and the added space will not relieve any of the pricing pressure. And we already have at least 6 places to buy a mocha within 2 blocks of the Varsity Theater. Go to Peet's and carry your espresso over to the grove and enjoy the shade! Or if they really need another cofpfee vendor, convert the Hunt Boyer into a restaurant and use the Tank House and trees as an outdoor patio. Just like was done with the Old City Hall. At least then we can preserve what we have left of our remaining historical and everyone goes away happy! Eric Nelson 756-4606 ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.22/922 - Release Date: 7/27/2007 6:08 AM --------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Davishistorymembers mailing list Davishistorymembers at velocipede.dcn.davis.ca.us http://www2.dcn.org/mailman/listinfo/davishistorymembers _______________________________________________ Davishistorymembers mailing list Davishistorymembers at velocipede.dcn.davis.ca.us http://www2.dcn.org/mailman/listinfo/davishistorymembers -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: